Interview: The Random Humans

Vancouver hip-hop duo Deception and Bear are The Random Humans. Despite being out on tour, having their 3 song EP (produced by Juno award-winning engineer Rob Shallcross) officially released, and a full-length en route, they took a few minutes out for NXEW...

J: Jay Blackwood - NXEW
D: Deception/Chase Hummell
B: Bear/Noah Bellevance

J: How did The Random Humans come to be? What's the connection?
D: "Bear and I are friends from Calgary, and we're both living in Van now. Noah was helping me with recording and ideas for my solo album Under False Creek (2009). He was just starting to make beats and wanted to spawn a new sounding group with my help."
B: "We ran into each other at a record shop in Vancity. Deception told me he was working on his solo album and at the time i was assisting in a studio in north Van. I asked if i could record some tracks for the album, so i did. After that i had the idea of forming a group... thus The Random Humans were born."

J: What's been the process for writing the tracks?
B: "Everything starts from a great sample. Once the beat is done i send it to Deception, then we hand it to Rob. From there we decide if the track is "worthy" of the time necessary to create the finished product."

J: Chase, when I met you in Vancouver, every chance you had, there was a rhyme coming out of you... How do you begin to narrow down the material and thoughts you have and choose what gets recorded?
D: "The process of choosing what is gonna work for the new album is a bit more lengthy than any other project I've worked on. Three people have to be happy before the song is chosen to make the cut. There’s scrutiny from every angle but in the end this ensures only the best tracks are chosen to be released."

J: What drives the music?
D: "Emotional expression is huge for me! I can portray the best picture of what im feelin through music. Always starts with a beat for me, its how I function. I can almost take something from any piece of music/art. Inspiration for me comes from so many things."
B: "I think the driving force of the music comes from all 3 of us, Rob, Deception, and myself. We all just seem to click! We dont hold ourselves back by classifing what kind of hip-hop we make, we just try to take it all in (music)."

J: With so many acts out there what stories do you think hip-hop doesn't give enough attention to?
D: "Theres always gonnna be another angry rap song comin out, I like the positive chill direction with an inspirational message."
B: "Its not that hardcore rap is all bad but it just seems that so many kids are headed in that direction, id like to see a more laid back vibe."

J: You've been touring for a little while now and have a bunch of dates coming up over the spring, what has been the highlight of touring so far?
D: "Has to be the fans. All the heads in Alberta. There's such a huge turnout to all the shows, it just makes it that much more fun for us to perform."
B: "Meeting new people, networking, making connections with some real talented musicians... being in the studio with them/ living with them (not gonna mention names). Also i would have to say watching our live performance progress with every show we do."

J: Strange moment?
D: When we were in Longview after a show Bear shot an arrow through my neighbors sattelite dish.

J: What's next?
D: "Full length album in May..."
B: "So much.We just officially released the EP in February and after the release of the full-length album we really wanna make our way across Canada to promote the new album."

J: Chase, since I liked Under False Creek, you won the bet. Where can a send the $10 I owe you?
D: "LOL! Buy me a beer when I see ya next buddy, if The Random Humans are not in your area we will be soon."

- Jay Blackwood

Random Humans EP is out now on Random Human Records/Reversed Records. Available on
iTunes and the Random Humans Website

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Feb 27, 2010 - DEEZ - Okotoks, AB
March 5, 2010 - TBA - Kamloops, BC
May 1, 2010 - Pogue Mahone's- Kamloops, BC

Blue Rodeo Interview Part II: Jim Cuddy

As promised last week, Jason Schneider, of Heartbreak Trail has posted part II of his Blue Rodeo interviews, this time he talks to Jim Cuddy.

If you haven't already done so, check out last weeks interview with Greg Keelor. Blue Rodeo's newest double CD, 'The Things We Left Behind', is available in stores now. Tickets are currently on sale (or will be soon) for their 2010 cross-Canada tour.

Also, don't forget to vote for your favourite Blue Rodeo song for the Grey Cup Half Time Show playlist! Voting closes November 20.

New Blue Rodeo: CD, Interview, Tour and Your Vote!

The new Blue Rodeo double CD The Things We Left Behind comes out on Tuesday, November 10.

Jason Schneider, of Heartbreak Trail, recently posted an excellent interview with Greg Keelor. I highly recommend the interview - it's a timeline of fantastic gems of knowledge surrounding many of their previous releases.

An interview with Jim Cuddy will follow next week, and look for a Blue Rodeo retrospective piece in the December issue of Exclaim! magazine.

Blue Rodeo will be going on a Cross-Canada tour in 2010 for the new album - check out their tour page for an extensive list of where they'll be. You've been forewarned, many of the presales are already sold out!

And don't forget to vote for your favourite Blue Rodeo song for the Grey Cup Half Time Show playlist! Voting closes November 20.